This request actually came from a local tilling company who needed assistance removing grout smears (aka grout haze) from Ceramic tiled floors that they had recently installed at a new housing estate in Appleton, south of Warrington. Busy tiling firms should take note as Tile Doctors are more than happy to add the final finishing touches to a tiled floor whether it’s sealing, polishing or simply removing excess grout as in this case.

Grout haze on Porcelain Wood Effect floor tiles in Appleton

If you take a close look at the above photograph you will see these are actually Wood Effect Porcelain tiles which are a new style of tile that have emerged over the last few years that allow you to have the beauty of a natural wood floor but with the ease of maintenance and durability of Porcelain. You will need to take a close look as unfortunately the grout smears hide a lot of the wood pattern.

Removing Grout Smears from Wood Effect Porcelain Tile

To remove Grout Haze you need to use an acid product and being a Tile Doctor I happened to have a bottle of Tile Doctor Grout Clean–Up in the van which is specially designed for removing excess grout as well as dealing with mineral salt problems. Working in sections I applied the product to the floor and left to soak for five minutes before scrubbing into the tiles and then rinsing it off and removing with a wet vacuum. This activity made a difference but more work was required so I repeated the process once more.

I was still left with some stubborn grout haze but fortunately I also had a bottle of Tile Doctor Acid Gel which is a thick gel for use primarily on wall tiles as being a gel is doesn’t run down the walls as much. It’s also useful on floors so I applied Acid Gel to the stubborn parts with a paint brush and left to soak for five to ten minutes then scrubbed the said areas with a stiff brush. This did the trick and I was able to remove the remainder of the grout haze.

Grout haze removed from Wood Effect Porcelain floor tiles in Appleton

I have the floor a thorough wash to remove any trace of product and the results were quite a transformation.

Reviews

Testimonials

Excellent service throughout. In depth email reply explaining the process. Available on a day that was convenient to me. Reasonable quote in advance. Timely arrival. Professional attitude. Really pleased with the finished condition of the floor. Went the extra mile with finishing touches that I hadn't previously mentioned but were no bother to him. Had an issue with water leaving a mark on the sealant a few days later but Alastair came back within 24hrs and spent a couple of hours repairing it FOC. Really impressed and delighted by the service. Will definitely recommend and/or use again where possible. Many Thanks.Tom Lowcock, Chester18 May 2016

Hard working and has done a good job on a very old victorian floorGraham, Liverpool22 April 2016

Alistair Re-grouted, cleaned and re-sealed a Stone floor for us and has done an Excellent Job, he left everything clean and tidy and would definitely recommend him.John Mackie, Warrington18 April 2016

A very good job, Mr. Connor was delighted with the work.Mr Connor, Prescott12 April 2016

Very pleasant,hard working man. I am over the moon with the work done.Margaret Graham, Widnes 24 March 2016

Very professional attitude, talked through all the requirements and explained the process throughout. Very happy with the final results and finished off the look of the kitchen. Very Good Service.Guy, Delamere17 February 2016

We are very pleased with the results, Alastair was prompt and very efficient and we are happy to recommend.Norman Goldstone, Liverpool15 February 2016

Alastair was very courteous and thorough in his approach and has contacted me since the job was completed to check we are still contented with the work. He is a credit to your organisation.David Gaster, Lymm29 January 2016

We were both thrilled to bits with how nice the quarry tile kitchen floor looked, after being cleaned and sealed. Alastair was a pleasure to deal with and we would highly recommend him to anyone considering having their floor done.Rosanna Flood, Chester25 January 2016

Alastair was hard working, focused and most importantly did a great job on the floors. He was very punctual and worked tirelessly until the work was finished. I would recommend his services to others and will look to have him in again as an annual clean.Robert Dowd, Tarvin02 January 2016

We have just moved into our new home, what a please to open the front door to a lovely restored hall. Alastair did a fantastic job replacing, cleaning and sealing my Victorian hall, it really looks the Dogs Do Dars. Such a please to meet Alastair, nothing was to much for him.Debbie, Crewe23 November 2015

Al was extremely courteous and hard working on what turned out to be a longer job than expected. He completely re did part of the floor at my request and did not try to charge me although it was my fault. I think he is a credit to tile doctor and would happily recommend him to all. Many thanks al you've done a great job.Tim Griffiths, Crewe06 November 2015

Brilliant service, brilliant job. The tiles & grout are like a new. A great job and alastair is very socialable and obliging, its great to get someone does what they say. Thank You.Mr Taylor, Mere03 November 2015

Really pleased with how the tiles have turned out, they look great. Thanks You :-)Tim Ribby, St Helens02 November 2015

We had tried everything to clean and restore our sandstone tiles but nothing worked. Tile Doctor cleaned and sealed the tiles, now we are finally happy with the way they look. Tile Doctor did a great job, highly recommended. NicolaShawn Greasley , Tarporley02 October 2015